Introductory meet of panel on simultaneous elections today

New Delhi: The introductory meeting of the high-level committee under former president Ram Nath Kovind for simultaneous elections will be held here on Saturday to discuss the roadmap and how to go about holding consultation with stakeholders.

Kovind had recently told reporters in Odisha that the meeting will be held on September 23. The government had on September 2 notified the eight-member “high-level” panel to examine and make recommendations at the earliest on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats. People aware of the details said meeting will be “introductory” in nature and members will discuss roadmap on how to go about the mandate given to the panel. The panel, they said, will also discuss on how to go about holding consultations with stakeholders, research on the subject and preparation of working papers.

Home Minister Amit Shah, former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and former finance

commission chairman N K Singh are among committee’s members. Congress’ leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was also a member. However, in a letter to Home Minister, he declined to be part of panel.